My latest Korea Times piece is up. It is on the current efforts to unify progressive parties, the attempt to field a single progressive presidential candidate, and how those two goals may conflict with each other.
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2 Comments
With the possible, outside chance of Sohn Hak-kyu being a credible presidential candidate, the so-called progressives having nothing to win in December’s elections other than to high profile themselves between now and the next national legislative elections.
These folks, unless something truly dramatic happens between now and December, do not have a prayer of a chance. Nonetheless, they will make every effort to stay in the limelight as much as possible so as to achieve some sort of superficial credibility until they run for the National Assembly.
In the meantime, the media will chase after them like excited puppies in hopes that they will throw them some bones for the next day’s copy.
While in this sense, Korea is not really unlike many other countries, the practice makes the whole political process makes for an expensive farce. But, hey! We ARE talking about politicians, right?
Yep. It is just electoral politics. Nothing special here. America is no different than Korea in this regard.
Among the progressives, Sohn is favored by a long shot in the media, in the korean langauge media that is. He looks tough and mainstream (connected with the average people). The long and the short of it is, he is an okay ajushi.
Park Guen-hye seems like a nice older dignified lady, but with some creepy family history as baggae.
Lee Myungbak is what I like to call a “bak-myung” han politician. I think he will go down and not be seen from for a while soon enough. Just watch.
If I am wrong, then I will eat some dog soup^^